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Search Equity Advocates (SEA) Program

Program Goals

Generally: Increase the recruitment & retention of equity-minded faculty at Sac State.
Specifically: Prepare cohorts of faculty leaders (SEAs) who will support each college in their equitable, inclusive hiring and retention processes and practices.

All university programs and activities are open and available to all regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, California State University, Sacramento, provides equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every student and employee has access to the resources and support they need to thrive and succeed in a university environment and in their communities. The California State University, Sacramento, complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws, and CSU’s Nondiscrimination Policy. We prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all university programs, policies, and practices.

The California State University, Sacramento, is a diverse community of individuals who represent many perspectives, beliefs and identities, committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and intellectually vibrant environment. We cultivate a culture of open dialogue, mutual respect, and belonging to support educational excellence and student success. Through academic programs, student organizations and activities, faculty initiatives, and community partnerships, we encourage meaningful engagement with diverse perspectives. As a higher education institution, we are dedicated to advancing knowledge and empowering individuals to reach their full potential by prioritizing inclusive curriculum development, faculty and staff training, student mentorship, and comprehensive support programs. At California State University, Sacramento, excellence is built on merit, talent, diversity, accessibility, and equal opportunity for all.

What need or problem does this program seek to address?

  • Need for more faculty who can better serve the needs of our students.
  • Faculty who are learner-centered, culturally responsive, inclusive, intentional, and equity-minded can help Sacramento State reduce our student equity gaps and become a more inclusive and equitable institution.

Who are the Search Equity Advocates?

Search Equity Advocates at Sacramento State University are faculty who are equity-minded, culturally-responsive, and have gone through extensive training regarding implementing inclusive search and equitable hiring practices. The roles they play include:

  • Process expert
  • Coach
  • Supporter
  • Illuminator
  • Impartial consultant

They DO NOT play the roles of:

  • Judge
  • Compliance enforcer

What do Search Equity Advocates do?

  • Engage in the search process from position description development to onboarding. They will be a resource for, as well as play a vital role in, the following steps:
    • Search committee planning
    • Position development
    • Recruitment
    • Screening
    • Interviews
    • Evaluation
    • Reference checking
    • Onboarding
  • Promote search practices to advance equity-mindedness and cultural responsiveness of candidates
  • Recommend strategies to minimize implicit bias and system 1 (automatic) thinking in the search process
  • Ask questions to help committee members test their thinking
  • Help surface unexamined norms, assumptions, and practices in search and recruitment processes
  • Intervene assertively and/or seek outside assistance if needed
  • Extend equity-mindedness to other aspects of university life (e.g., equitable decision making, RTP policies, dept. climate issues, etc.)
  • Support college in retention efforts (e.g., sense of belonging, intentional mentoring efforts, dept. climate issues, etc.)

Expectation for Search Committees

  • Search Equity Advocates (SEAs) are committed to maintaining confidentiality so once the search committee agrees to having a SEA, they have to also agree to involve them in every step of the process
  • Invite SEA to join search committee before the position description is finalized and posted so that they may assist in development/refinement of the position description
  • Support the use of the SEA strategies offered to increase intentionality of search committee practices
  • Treat SEAs as a crucial committee member through every stage of the process--their availability and access to information is important to consistently support the search process

Expectation for Search Committee Chairs

In addition to the above expectations, the search chair should see their role as one in partnership with the Search Equity Advocate (SEA). Ideally, the search chair and the SEA meet before the first committee meeting to align expectations and co-plan the first meeting. It is important that the search chair view the SEA as someone who is there to help support a more effective and inclusive search through the resources, insights, and strategies they provide.

How can Deans increase the impact of the program?

  • Ensure early entry into searches (before posting)
  • Identify/encourage search committees that are interested in having a SEA to be involved
  • Encourage department chairs and search committee members to do their own work on becoming more equity-minded and culturally responsive (e.g., participate in “Inclusive Practices in the SearchProcess/AAEOR" training, review Inclusive Hiring Toolkit, Inclusive Hiring workshop)
  • Support and uplift the role of the Search Equity Advocates generally and when they suggest process and policy changes more specifically
  • Intervene or suspend searches if efforts are not adequate/successful
  • Continue to do your own work on becoming more equity-minded and culturally responsive (e.g., participate in Inclusive Hiring workshops).

Anticipated outcomes of including Search Equity Advocates in searches

Shorter-Term Outcomes:

  • Search: Search Integrity is increased. At institutions with similar programs, more search concerns are reported when the search has no SEA.
  • Committees: Search committees grow in their skills, knowledge, and motivation in implementing inclusive hiring practices.
  • Candidates: Broader pools will be attracted to positions and candidates will have better search experiences.
  • New Hires: We hire (and hopefully retain) more faculty who are better prepared to reduce equity gaps and meet students’ needs.
  • Faculty Retention: New faculty are better supported generally and in their work towards student success.

Longer-Term Outcomes:

  • Student Success: We reduce gaps in student retention and graduation metrics by maintaining more supportive and equitable learning environments.
  • Organizational Development: Having inclusive searches becomes a normalized element of institutional operation; all faculty see the value in more intentional and inclusive search practices.
  • Institutional Culture: Higher retention of faculty who are motivated to best meet our students’ needs resulting in reduced equity gaps.
  • Greater equity mindedness and cultural responsiveness across campus
    • Improved committee conversations
    • Extra efforts to improve searches
    • Significant differences in quality of pools and those hired
    • Policy changes

FAQ

Questions?

For any questions please contact:
SEA Program Coordinator: Dr. Lina Rincón, Associate Professor of Sociology (lina.rincon@csus.edu)
Recruitment & Retention Coordinator: Dr. Tasha Souza, Professor of Communication (souza@csus.edu)